Free Health Clinic Need Persists Along With Recession

“I remember one still somewhat young lady who broke down when she was told her teeth could not be saved. She was comforted by many, both before they were pulled and afterward. But it was still hearbreaking. What if she had had access to diagnosis and treatment and training in proper dental hygiene earlier, could not her teeth and her self respect have avoided the harm she experienced today?”

 In Appalachia, those services are often unavailable and unaffordable. For many, these annual free clinics are their only lifeline. Jean Jolly recounted how one man last weekend had hitched a ride as far as he could, then walked the last twenty miles to the fairgrounds for free care. But this year, while the need – and the recession – persists, for whatever reason fewer patients seemed able to make that trip.

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